


The 5 Times Janus Took Care of the FamILY and the 1 Time They Took Care of Janus

by DannyisDone



Series: Sanders Sides Agere Oneshots [1]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Age Play Caregiver Deceit | Janus Sanders, Age Play Little Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Age Play Little Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Age Play Little Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Age Play Little Deceit | Janus Sanders, Age Play Little Logic | Logan Sanders, Age Play Little Morality | Patton Sanders, Age Regression, Age Regression/De-Aging, Familial Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Genderfluid Deceit | Janus Sanders, Hurt/Comfort, Non-Sexual Age Play, Nonbinary Sleep | Remy Sanders, Platonic Relationships, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:48:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28067280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DannyisDone/pseuds/DannyisDone
Summary: This story contains Age Regression and is NOT sexual.Janus takes care of the regressed sides when they are little, but sometimes Janus needs a bit of care too.+++Warnings: Crying, 'Bed-wetting' (chapter 3), 'a bit of angst, swearing, spoilers for the most recent asides' (Chapter 4), 'A bit of angst, nightmares' (Chapter 5). 'One swear word; (Chapter 6)
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders & Thomas Sanders, platonic DRLAMP
Series: Sanders Sides Agere Oneshots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2145819
Comments: 22
Kudos: 216





	1. Early Morning Cuddles (Logan)

**Author's Note:**

> Me? Writing Janus? For comfort? No, never. 
> 
> I just needed to write some short fluffy stories featuring Caregiver (and 1 baby) Janus!! These will be pretty short in comparison to my other work, but sometimes you just gotta write what your heart wants because it is not coping well™
> 
> Also, these aren't meant to be read as happening all on the same day, I just liked the time motif and wanted to focus on settings at different times, because why not? I hope that isn't confusing. 
> 
> As always, if you see any glaring spelling or grammatical errors, please let me know!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan wakes up early and regresses, and is soon found by Janus.
> 
> +++
> 
> Warnings: Crying

Logan’s head turned towards the stairs when he heard the telltale creaks of the wood that indicated that someone was coming down. For a moment he wondered if he had managed to wake whoever was coming down, and felt his heart race just a bit.. However, when Janus’s figure appeared at the edge of the steps, Logan relaxed a bit, feeling comforted by the presence. Janus was almost always the first one awake. 

“And what do we have here?” Janus asked, eyes surveying the scene. Logan was sitting on the couch, his Sherlock bear placed on his lap, his blanket wrapped tightly around his shoulders, and a cartoon playing on the tv with the volume turned down almost completely. Logan gave Janus a small smile, his face soft and features clear with the absence of his glasses. 

“Morning.” Logan whispered, his eyes flitting towards Janus’s wrists to see what pronouns to use. Logan looked up, surprised when he realized Janus wasn’t wearing them. “You forgot your gender!” He said with a small sleepy gasp that caused the caregiver to chuckle just a bit, amused by little Logan’s grasp on the situation.

“Sorry, haven’t been awake long enough to consider it.” Janus said, before taking a moment to pause and do just that. With the flick of the wrist, two bracelets suddenly appeared, a green one and a yellow one, indicating a he/they day. He held his wrist out to Logan to confirm with the little one, who squinted to see before he nodded his approval. 

“It’s a Papa day, then.” Logan said with a small smile, before eagerly reaching his hands out towards Janus, who merely laughed and walked over to the couch, taking a seat next to Logan. The regressor was quick to snuggle up against the other. 

“And what about you, little one? What’s your bracelet color?” Everyone in the Mindscape regressed, so they had developed a system of sharing headspaces with each other through bracelet colors, courtesy of Janus and their use of bracelets to indicate their gender. Logan proudly held out his hand for Janus to see the small charm bracelet. It was a dark blue, indicating he was in a more kiddo headspace, as opposed to teen, toddler, or baby. It also sported a few charms that Logan had added, just because he liked them. Janus nodded his approval at the little. 

“Excellent, now that we’ve got all that settled, care to tell me why this little boy is out of bed this early?” Janus asked, their tone soft, indicating he wasn’t upset. Logan brought his hand back to himself, wrapping it around his bear and hugging it tightly. 

“Gotta lot of stuff I gotta do today.” Logan admitted, his voice quiet and bordering on sad. “Wanted to be little for a bit to make me feel better.” Logan had been pretty stressed out the past few weeks, trying to get everything together for the newest video. But because of the tight schedule he was keeping himself on, as well as being the side that was most called upon when things went wrong or needed fixed quickly, he hadn’t had time for himself to relax. He just wanted to take a couple of hours and feel small, letting go of his adult worries for a bit. And it seemed the only free time he had was from 4-8 am. So, he had set his alarm to wake up early, wrapped himself in his blankie, and came down to watch cartoons. 

“I’m very proud of you for taking some time for yourself, it’s very important.” Janus said, lightly stroking at Logan’s hair. The little relaxed even more at the touches, leaning against Janus and letting himself be cuddled. He hummed his appreciation for the other’s words, before turning his attention back to the tv. 

They stayed like that for another show and a half, the sun finally beginning to peek through the blinds as 7:00 am rolled around. Logan began to fidget when he became aware of the progressing time, and soon found himself burying his face in Janus’s side, the caregiver having eventually wrapped his arm around the other for a proper cuddle. He noticed the mood shift when he heard a soft sniffle coming from beside him. 

“What’s with the tears, sweetheart?” They asked, quick to try and comfort the other by soothingly rubbing circles into his back. When he looked down at Logan’s wrist, he could see that the color had shifted from dark blue to a bright blue, indicating he had fallen further into headspace. 

“I don’t wanna get big yet.” Logan admitted quietly. He knew he had to, he had a responsibility, but it felt so nice just being allowed to relax and not have to think about what direction they would take the editing or if they would need to reshoot certain scenes. He just wanted to be held by Papa and stay curled up on the couch with them. Janus seemed to hug Logan tighter at his confession, and Logan appreciated the gesture, sinking further into the comfort of it. 

“The past few weeks have just been dreadfully easy for you, haven’t they?” Janus asked, and Logan just nodded, understanding what Janus actually meant.. He felt his caregiver bend down and press a kiss into his hair, and that made Logan feel a bit better, though he still hadn’t managed to keep his tears from falling. He rubbed at his face, trying to ebb the flow. Suddenly, Janus was shifting. Logan sat up straighter to give them the space to adjust. When he looked over, Janus was smiling at him, a summoned wash cloth in his hand. The boy didn’t complain when his Papa gently began wiping his face. 

“I know you’ve got a lot of Big Adult things you have to do today, and it’s important that you do them.” Janus reminded. Logan nodded along, fully aware of that. “But then, if you want, when you’re all done being the big boy you have to be, you can come to me, and I will make sure to take care of my little cosmonaut.” He assured him, gently grabbing his nose and giving it a small squeeze. Logan giggled at the playful grab, taking both of his hands and grabbing Janus’s. 

“Even if I’m really tiny?” He asked. Janus nodded, his features soft but serious, hoping their next words would ring true in Logan’s mind.

“Even at your tiniest. Or, even if you aren’t regressed at all.” They explained. “You deserve to relax and take care of yourself, darling. And I know absolutely nothing about self care.” He said teasingly, making Logan giggle. Janus turned away from Logan and leaned towards the table, picking up the little’s glasses and gently placing them on his face. Logan blinked, letting his eyes adjust to the sudden vision. 

“Still don’t wanna be big yet…” Logan sighed, leaning himself back on Janus. He had less than an hour before he would have to start his day, waking up whoever needed to be awake to begin the morning work. Janus allowed the action, wrapping their arms around Logan once more and hugging him tightly. 

“Well...You don’t have to be big just yet, do you?” Janus asked with an optimistic inflection, making Logan look up, curiosity in his eyes. 

“You’re still Papa’s cosmonaut for the next 45 minutes, how about I make you some breakfast, we can eat it in here and finish your show.” They suggested. Logan smiled just a bit at him, before nodding. 

“And cuddles?” He asked as they both rose from the couch, ready to head into the kitchen and enjoy their last few minutes together as Papa and little Logan before the day had to begin. 

“I wouldn’t want it any other way.”


	2. Lunch Time Struggles (Roman)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman has issues with the plate in front of him, but doesn't know how to communicate that with Janus. However, Janus picks up on the discomfort, and makes a bit of a game of solving what Roman needs. 
> 
> +++
> 
> Warnings: None that I can think of, but please let me know if some should be added <3

Roman stared down at the plate that had been set in front of him for lunch, a sad frustration in his eyes that he had yet to communicate. Janus sat across from him, sporting a yellow bracelet that indicated their pronouns for the day. Roman was also wearing his own regression bracelet, the color a dark red that let his caregiver know he was a bit older, somewhere around 8. When Roman looked up at Janus again, they met eyes. 

“Something the matter?” Janus asked, but Roman was quick to shake his head no, not wanting to worry the other. He went back to staring down at his food. Janus had been kind enough to prepare one of his favorite meals when regressed, but there was a problem that Roman was too anxious to speak up about. 

It was all touching. 

Normally Patton made lunch, especially when Roman was regressed, because Patton knew exactly how Roman needed things plated or what certain plates and utensils he was comfortable using. But Patton was in the real world with Thomas, and Janus had been willing to step in and watch Roman while he was gone. Roman didn’t mind, he normally loved when Janus would take care of him, they were so fun to play with, but Janus did not know how Roman had to have certain things done a certain way when it came to mealtime. 

Which was how he found himself in this predicament. 

Roman nodded his answer to Janus, since it would be pointless to lie to them anyways, but he didn’t know how to express that he needed his divider plates, or that he would prefer to have a glass cup instead of the princess one Janus had poured his juice into because he couldn’t use plastic cups. He didn’t want Janus to think he was ungrateful or too picky, since he had been teased about that before. He just wished he could suck it up and deal with it. 

Janus walked over towards Roman, sitting down in the chair next to him and scooting it so that they were side by side. At first Janus wondered if maybe the little wanted to be fed, since sometimes when in baby mode the littles couldn’t do it themselves. But when they saw that Roman’s bracelet was still dark red, they had to consider something else. They looked over the plate carefully, it was all Roman's favorites, so it couldn't be that he didn't want to eat, and he had been the one to insist it was lunch time. 

"Are you having trouble telling me what's wrong?" Janus asked, and watched with a heavy heart when Roman nodded weakly and sensed the truth. They quietly considered how they ought to go about this, when an idea struck. 

“What if I guessed it? Think then you could tell me?” Janus asked. Roman watched the other curiously, unsure how they were supposed to guess it, but willing to play along if it meant that they would be able to figure out the problem. He nodded just a bit, a small smile tugging on his face. 

“Alright, how many issues is it?” Janus asked. Roman looked at the plate, then his eyes lingered on the cup, and then he held up two fingers. Janus nodded, catching on that it must be related to those two things. 

“First one, is there something wrong with the food?” Roman thought for a moment, and then gave a hand motion that indicated that it was half right. 

“Is it cooked weird?” They asked, and were rewarded with a head shake. Janus looked over the plate some more to see what could be wrong. 

“Is it...Because the food is touching?” They asked, noticing how some of the growing cold food was all in proximity to one another. Roman nodded his head vigorously, a happy grin on his face, both from finally having Janus know he didn’t like his food touching, and because they had managed to make a fun game out of it. Roman then pointed to the princess cup. 

“Problem number two?” Janus asked, to which Roman nodded. “Hm...do you need a different cup?” They were starting to get the picture that Roman needed mealtimes to be a certain way, and they were so proud of their little for communicating that with them as Roman nodded his head. Janus knew it was sometimes hard for the other to ask for the things he wanted or needed. 

“Can you tell me what kind of glass you do need?” Janus asked, tilting their head a bit. Roman thought for a second, before shaking their head. He hadn’t realized that he had gone nonverbal, but now he was very aware of it, finding that he physically could not talk. He half expected Janus to get upset and walk away, not because Janus had ever done that but because he had experienced it before, but Janus merely smiled. 

“That’s alright love, I can bring you over a few options and you point out which one you want, okay? I can also see about using one of those special plates Patton bought that has the dividers.” He explained, standing up. Roman nodded and watched as Janus walked away. 

He was so relieved to know that Janus had worked with him to figure out what was wrong, and then didn’t berate him or make him feel bad for needing the extra accommodation. He always felt like he was a bother, some had said that he was spoiled. It always made asking for things he needed or wanted so much harder, so the fact that Janus had gone out of their way to figure out the problem and then made no big deal about solving it…

When Janus returned to the dining table, three different glasses in their hand, they were surprised to see a teary eyed Roman. They quickly sat the cups on the table and made their way over. 

“Dear Prince, why are you crying?” Janus asked, looking them over. Roman smiled when he saw Janus, and it made them realize that these were happy tears. Janus’s chest grew warm, and they quietly cooed at the boy, opening their arms as an invitation for a hug. Roman was quick to lean into it and hug Janus back. 

“I’m so very proud of you, dear. You were able to help me figure out what you needed, and now I can take care of you properly.” Janus said, squeezing the little just a bit tighter in the hug. Roman hummed his appreciation, rubbing his face into Janus’s soft shirt. Janus chuckled, before pulling away, eliciting a bit of a whine from the other. 

“Pick out what glass you want and let me make you a new plate, then we can cuddle.” Janus said, carefully booping Roman on the nose. Roman giggled, before looking over the options while Janus rose, taking Roman’s old plate with them into the kitchen. When they returned, Roman was holding out the clean, plain glass cup that Janus had brought out. He smiled at the new plate and utensils Janus was carrying, happy to see one of his special divider plates that Patton had bought him. When it was placed in front of him, Roman was quick to begin eating as Janus poured him a new glass of juice. When they settled back down next to Roman, the regressor was quick to reach out his free hand towards Janus, shaking it lightly. They picked up on what Roman wanted and held the hand tightly, both of them finally being able to enjoy their lunch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh soft Janus being soft makes my chest go <3 <3 <3


	3. Nap Time Woes (Patton)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not long after putting the littles down for a nap, Remy lets Janus know that one of them is awake, and are not happy about it. When Janus goes to check on them, they find a very regressed Patton in a very sad state. 
> 
> +++
> 
> Warnings: Crying, bed-wetting. If more need added please let me know!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time writing Remy, so I hope I did their character justice for like the few seconds they are in the story! Also, it isn't stated explicitly in the chapter, but Remy is nonbinary (They/them) and Janus's pronouns for the day are she/they. 
> 
> Anyways, enjoy <3

Janus sat across from Remy, a coffee in their hands that made her whole body warm. Coffee wouldn’t have been her first choice, Janus was much more fond of tea, but the personification of sleep had been nice enough to bring them a drink while visiting for nap time, so Janus wasn’t about to complain. They both were idly chatting, Janus once more thanking Remy for stopping by. Everyone had regressed that day, which always made getting them all to sleep just a bit harder, since they all demanded different things before being put down.

“Not a problem, babe. It’s literally like, my one job.” Remy jokingly said, making Janus chuckle before they continued to gossip about Thomas’s poor sleep and each other’s plans for the rest of the evening. It was about an hour since Remy arrived, and they were deep in discussion, when Remy suddenly frowned. 

“What’s wrong?” Janus asked, worry in her voice. Remy glanced at the clock. 

“Someone is...awake. And they are NOT happy about it.” Remy explained. They normally wouldn’t have used their ability to sense the sides’ sleep cycles, it was quite invasive after all, but whoever had woken up had done it in a bit of a panic, and Remy couldn’t help that one of them being jerked awake always made their own stomach drop just a bit, even though there wasn’t much they could do. 

“Hm, I’ll have to go check on them. Care to stay?” Janus offered. Remy could have left the moment all the littles had been put down, but Janus did so enjoy their company. Remy considered the offer a moment, before sighing and shaking their head. 

“Not this time, I have some stuff I got to take care of. Though if you need anything, call me.” They said, miming a phone with their free hand before snapping, disappearing from the house to go wherever in the mindscape Remy lived. Janus, though disappointed to see the company leave, stood up, knowing there was a little (or simply a friend, if they were no longer regressed) that they had to go take care of, though she was suddenly cursing herself for not asking which one of them was awake. She walked up the stairs, looking around the long hallway just to see if whoever was up had found their way out of their room, but nothing seemed out of place. 

Janus decided they would just gently listen in through the doors to hear if there was any movement. The first door on the right was Patton’s so they decided to check on him first. The boy had been regressed to a toddler when Janus had tucked him in, making sure the three stuffies he had chosen to sleep with (He was only allowed three, or Patton would have his whole collection with him) had received a kiss as well before they had left the room to put Roman down next. As Janus pressed her ear to the door, a deep frown etched across her face. 

She could hear crying. 

Though Janus’s instinct was to open the door and immediately check to see what was wrong, they thought better of it this time. These cries were very quiet, and Patton was not a quiet crier. Patton did not hide his emotions, especially when regressed. If he was sad, he would wail. If he was excited, his laughter could border on screaming. Janus had always appreciated that in Patton, they were so used to everyone trying to hide their true feelings in the name of ‘Not wanting to be a bother’. Patton didn’t have those kinds of fears. 

Or at least, Janus hadn’t thought he had those fears, at least before now.

Because Patton was clearly upset, and clearly wanted to hide it from the others. If Remy hadn’t alerted Janus to what was going, they may never have known Patton wasn’t alright. She quietly sighed, not wanting to consider what might have happened if the poor boy was left to deal on his own.

“Patton?” Janus called through the door, offering a small knock as well. They could immediately hear Patton’s breathing hitch, and she felt bad that she had scared the little, but when no answer came, Janus chose to open the door.

Patton was sitting on the floor, his froggy pressed close to his face, hiding it away from Janus. The caregiver took a quick look around the room to try and figure out what was wrong, since there wasn’t an immediate indication. Her eyes then landed on the bed, and she noticed the small wet patch that stained the bed, beginning to piece together what had happened. 

Patton seemed to realize that Janus now knew, and his crying got a bit louder, since there was no point in hiding it anymore. He looked up at Janus, his eyes rimmed red and snot running down his face. 

“Didn’ mean to, Mama!” He cried. Janus was quick to move down towards the little, ignoring the way Patton squirmed to try and prevent the other from holding him. She pulled him into a hug and held the regressor tight. She spared one look at his bracelet, just to see if it had changed, and sure enough, the thing was a bright baby blue, indicating he had slipped even further in his headspace. Janus tried to shush the baby, petting his hair and whispering softly, but he seemed inconsolable. 

“It’s okay, you’re just a baby, I promise I’m not mad.” They said, but Patton just continued to shake his head no. They let him cry himself out a bit, though never letting go of the boy or stopping her petting. When Patton had finally managed to calm himself down to more sniffles, Janus tried speaking again. 

“Darling, it was an accident. I’m not mad.” They said, and Patton seemed to listen to them this time, relaxing just a bit. They sat like that for a few more minutes, Janus running their fingers through Patton’s locks. Finally, Patton pulled away, hiding his face behind his frog still. 

“Sorry, Mama.” He whispered, his eyes still wet and worried. Janus nodded, though she didn’t think the apology was necessary. She let one of her hands slip from his hair to his face, cupping his cheek lightly. 

“It’s nothing to be sorry for.” They said, brushing the last few tears off of Patton’s face. They then stood up, offering a hand out to help Patton off the ground. Patton took it eagerly and stood up as well, though refused to let go of his Mama’s hand. 

“Would you like a bath?” She asked, and Patton nodded, keeping his eyes focused on his caregiver. They wrapped an arm around his waist and carefully led him towards the bathroom. She wished she could lift him in their arms and carry the boy, but he was just a bit too big for her to hold. But Patton never seemed to complain about that, always very content to simply be as close to them as possible as they walked. 

Janus helped Patton strip out of his wet clothes and threw them in the hamper, figuring she could wash them and the bed sheets later. She drew him a bath, letting him feel the water to make sure the temperature was just right. He giggled softly when bubbles were added to the water. 

“I want to tell you something, think you can be a big boy and listen to me?” Janus asked as she helped Patton settle into the water. Patton resisted the urge to immediately begin playing with the bubbles, but only because Mama wanted to talk to him. He nodded very carefully, smiling at Janus so they would know he was paying attention. 

“I just wanted to let you know that you never have to hide something from me, even if you think I’ll be upset.” Janus explained, taking their gloves off and rolling up her sleeves. Patton nodded, though Janus wasn’t convinced that the little was actually understanding what they were saying. She smiled at Patton and let a scaled hand tickle under his chin, earning the caregiver a few giggles. 

“I’ll tell you again when you are bigger, but you can always come to me whenever you need anything, alright baby?” She said and Patton just nodded again. Janus was about to begin washing the little, when he suddenly spoke up. 

“Need you, Mama.” Patton said, taking his wet hand and grabbing at Janus’s capelet. Janus laughed slightly, ignoring the wetness soaking into their clothes. 

“Better late than never, I suppose.” Janus said with a smile, leaning forward and kissing Patton on the forehead.


	4. Night Time Attitudes (Virgil)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil is regressed to a teen, which means he's giving off attitude like there's no tomorrow. Janus is worried about the other, and that worry doesn't go away when a quiet knock comes at his door later that night. 
> 
> +++
> 
> Warnings: Crying, a bit of angst, swearing, spoilers for the most recent asides.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're nearing the end! 
> 
> It isn't stated explicitly but Janus's pronouns for the day in this story are he/she/they <3 
> 
> Also teen regressors are so valid <3 I hope I did that justice!!

When Janus got a text from Roman earlier in the day saying that "Virgil is a Teenage Scream today, attitude city alert - 👑", he wasn't sure what he should have expected. However, Janus seemed to have gotten their answer around the time dinner rolled around. 

"Where is everyone?" Janus asked as she walked into the kitchen, noticing only Virgil barely picking at the food Patton had made for dinner. He was only late himself because he had had an injured Remus to take care of. So to see that only Virgil was here, was a bit of a shock. 

"With Thomas, talking about Nico." Virgil grumbled as he stuck another forkful in his mouth. At the tone of this voice, Janus glanced towards Virgil's wrist, and sure enough, he was sporting a black charm bracelet with little skulls, an indicator that he was regressed to a teenager. Janus nodded, before walking over towards the stove to make themselves a plate. 

"And why aren't you with them, Stormcloud?" They asked, not paying too close attention to how Virgil responded. Janus simply assumed that Virgil didn't want to be around Thomas while regressed. 

"Figured they wouldn't want me around." Virgil admitted, and Janus hated the way Virgil's truth tasted so sour. She scrunched up her face, before walking back over to the table, plate in hand. 

"I doubt that's the actual truth, sweetheart.” Janus did not miss the way Virgil seemed to cringe at the term of endearment. They would have to use those sparingly this evening. “If I recall correctly, you're the reason Thomas even knows Nico." He reminded the other. Virgil sighed a bit, his facing going a bit pink, but hardly in the mood to reminisce. 

“Yeah, but I’m also gonna be the reason he leaves, so what’s even the point?” Virgil asked, his head hung low. Janus sighed, gently reaching over and rubbing the other’s shoulder a bit. 

“Now I know you’re being dramatic.” She teased. “You’re working yourself up over something that hasn’t even been hinted at.” They explained, trying to be soothing, but he could feel Virgil go tense under his tender hand. 

“I’m not worked up about anything! God you sound like Roman. He’s been a bitch to me all day.” Virgil whined, and stern frown overcame Janus’s face. Virgil was allowed to swear while in his teen headspace, but he certainly wasn’t allowed to insult his friends, even if they weren’t around. 

“Virgil, you’re being very rude.” Janus tried to avoid scolding Virgil too hard, considering she could tell he was probably feeling a bit insecure about Thomas hanging out more with Nico. But Virgil still scowled, sending a glare towards Janus. 

“He has!” Virgil defended. “He kept telling me to tone down the attitude when I wasn’t even doing anything, and when I told him to leave me alone he kept pestering me and-” Virgil cut himself off when he saw the disappointed look Janus was giving him, which only managed to make him feel more upset. 

“Whatever, I don’t have to defend myself to you.” Virgil said, standing up, pushing his unfinished meal across the table. 

“Virgil-” 

“Just leave me alone!” The regressor yelled before storming off towards his room. Janus watched with an aching heart, knowing better than to chase after Virgil. He would only push his caregiver further away if he did, and he may even pull himself out of headspace if he thought that he was being crowded or ganged up on. Janus sighed, before deciding to finish their meal in their room, hating the way the empty kitchen managed to make them feel so lonely. She would have to send Roman a text back, explaining how Virgil was feeling, and hopefully they would reconcile by the end of the night. 

+++

Janus had just begun to lay down for the night when he heard a knock on his door. Just as she was peering up to call out for the person to come in, Virgil opened the door. His eyes were red rimmed and he was holding himself tightly. Janus frowned at the sight. 

“Dad?” Virgil whispered quietly, carefully walking into the room and shutting the door behind him. Janus thought a moment, before shaking their head. 

“I think it’s a mom night, hope that isn’t a problem.” They said with a small smile, trying to alleviate any worries. Virgil shook his head and walked closer to the bed. They timidly stood beside it, avoiding every contact with Janus. The caregiver’s eyes looked towards Virgil’s wrists and saw that he was still regressed to a teenager. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t use some Mom cuddles. 

“Want to lay down?” Janus offered and watched as Virgil nodded heavily, Janus having been able to read the side like a book. She scooted over in the bed, leaving plenty of room for Virgil to lay down next to him. Virgil did just that, crawling into the bed and burying himself into Janus’s chest. Warm arms wrapped around the regressor and held him tight. 

“I don’t want to fuck things up for Thomas.” Virgil said, his voice watery and bordering on crying again. Janus let their fingers dance across Virgil’s back. 

“You’re not, Stormcloud. You’ve done nothing wrong.” Janus said softly. Virgil sighed, clearly unconvinced, but comforted by hearing someone say it anyways. 

“I just...I know how much Thomas likes Nico, and I don’t want to ruin it for him. I don’t want to be the reason Thomas doesn’t find happiness.” Janus could feel the boy shaking just a bit, and all she could do it gently press kisses into his hair and continue their soothing gestures. Virgil didn’t need to be told what to do or how he should be thinking, he needed to be listened to and reassured. 

“Thomas is going to find happiness, love. And you are going to be a big part of that, I know it.” He whispered, and he could feel Virgil go a bit still, as if processing what Janus was saying. Then, Virgil was suddenly looking up at Janus, his eyes soft and tearful, but a small smile on his face that let Janus know Virgil was going to be okay. Janus smiled back kindly, before leaning forward and kissing his forehead. 

“I’m sorry for crying like a baby.” Virgil said, pawing at his face to wipe at some of the tears, though the smile remained. 

“Are you a baby?” Janus asked, eyebrow cocked in mock question, earning a small snort from the boy. 

“No, just...Emotional.” He finally admitted, settling back onto the bed. “This has been bothering me a lot…” He confessed, before letting his eyes close a bit. Janus nodded, before carefully tucking a bit of Virgil’s bangs behind his ears. 

“I’m sorry you’ve been struggling, Stormcloud.” Janus said. Virgil hummed, letting the other know he understood. 

“I’m sorry for giving you attitude, and for being a dick about Roman...I was kind of bratty today.” He said, opening his eyes once more, causing Janus to chuckle a bit. 

“Wouldn’t expect anything less from my teenage angst machine.” Janus cooed, making Virgil groan and flush, though the smile was still on his face. “Though you will properly have to apologize to Roman tomorrow.” They reminded, and Virgil gently rolled his eyes. 

“Yeah yeah…” He mumbled, before closing his eyes again. They stayed like that for a few minutes, Janus continuing to hold the other and draw on his back with her fingertips. Virgil eventually broke the calm silence that had fallen over them. 

“Thanks, mom.” He said, his eyes opening again before he started to move out of the bed. Janus let him go, figuring the other might be just a tad bit too embarrassed to sleep next to Janus in his current headspace. As Virgil stood up, he carefully leaned down into the bed and pressed a kiss into Janus’s hair. “Love ya... and stuff.” He said, before hurrying out of the room. Janus smiled softly, watching the boy leave with a fondness. 

“Love you too.”


	5. Late Night Tears (Remus)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janus is suddenly summoned into Remus's room, where he sees that the little has had a nightmare. 
> 
> +++
> 
> Warnings: Nightmares, a bit of angst. If others need added please let me know!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It isn't explicitly stated, by Janus's pronouns for the day in this story are he/him <3
> 
> Writing this was so so so hard because I just kept thinking it was gonna be too sad for this story but then I finally forced myself to write it and now I don't even know if I like it asdfgsdfg I hope that others like it though <3

Remus’s summons were always the most difficult to deal with, perhaps because of their rarity. A side summoned by Remus will experience a deep chill in their bones and a pull in their gut. It is uncomfortable and hard to ignore, so when Janus woke up in the middle of the night with a coldness that coursed through his body, he immediately allowed himself to sink down and rise up into Remus’s room, hardly considering anything else other than ‘Must get to Remus.’ 

It was dark, which shouldn’t have been as surprising as it was to Janus. It was late at night, Remus had been put to bed hours ago. Janus tried to focus on the lump on the bed in front of him, dark vision always took a second to readjust, only then to finally notice the harsh sobs that were being muffled by pillows. 

“Remus?” Janus said quietly, approaching the bed with care. Remus took a sharp inhale and whipped his head around. His makeup was running down his face, his pillow stained with it, and he wore a look of surprise and fear, as if he hadn’t expected Janus to show up. But as soon as realization dawned on Remus’s face, his lip began to wobble, and he was soon reaching out for Janus, his wailing returning. 

Without a moment’s hesitation, Janus quickly hurried over to Remus’s side, sitting on the bed and allowing the other to crawl into his lap. They had done this song and dance so often, it was almost routine at this point. Remus pressed his face into Janus’s neck, allowing himself to cry as loudly as he wanted now, because he knew it was safe to do so. Janus simply rubbed circles and traced stars into Remus’s back, whispering softly that Remus was such a brave boy and that it was okay to cry when things became too much to handle. 

“Don’t wanna don’t wanna don’t wanna.” Remus mumbled, and Janus could never be sure what the mantra was for. Didn’t want to cry? Didn’t want to have nightmares? Didn’t want to be hurting? It was sometimes all of it all at once, and those nights were especially hard. Whatever it was that Remus didn’t want, it wasn’t something Janus couldn’t magically wish away, as much as he would like to for his dear friend. 

“Let it out, it’s alright little one, you are with me.” Janus never wanted to silence Remus, never wanted him to feel like he couldn’t be upset. He pressed kisses to the boy’s temple and continued his whispering, ignoring the tears and snot that were wiped onto his nightshirt and the way Remus would accidentally dig his too long fingernails just a bit too tightly into his back. 

Remus would cry for another hour, and Janus would hold him for just as long. The boy eventually worked himself down to small hiccups and whimpers, but settled enough to begin the next phase of their routine. Janus began to shift Remus in his hold, which Remus helped with, considering he was much too big to be maneuvered by Janus alone. He eventually found himself sitting sideways in Janus’s lap, head rested on his caregiver’s shoulder. Janus spared a quick check to Remus’s wrist, just to see if he was wearing his bracelet. He was, and it was a pastel green, indicating that he was feeling quite small, which came as absolutely no surprise to Janus. 

“What a good cry, baby. And I’m so proud of you for summoning me.” He praised, earning small whines from Remus that were more out of embarrassment than anything else. Janus was fairly certain that Remus probably hadn’t meant to summon him. There had been quite a few times where Remus admitted it was an accident, but Janus was convinced that if he encouraged the action, even if it was an accident, perhaps Remus would grow more comfortable with doing it on purpose one day. 

Janus summoned a warm washcloth and began wiping the makeup away from Remus’s face, receiving more whines of protest, but any noise that Remus made that wasn’t crying was preferred by Janus, so he ignored the feeble attempts and continued his cleaning. Eventually he had clear-faced Remus staring back at him, and Janus couldn’t help but coo just a bit, the other’s soft face (moustache and all) so reminiscent of times past. 

“There’s my Remus.” Janus said with a small smile. Remus eventually smiled back, when he was done pouting at his caregiver, which only made Janus coo more and returned the pout back onto Remus’s face, never one to know how to accept affection very much, even when regressed, even when the one giving him affection was Janus. Janus merely chuckled at the antics, before summoning a bottle full of warm milk and honey. 

“It’s important to hydrate after big cries like that, sweetheart.” And while that was true, and important, the secondary function of the drink was to try and coax Remus back into sleep. Janus had caught him going nights without sleeping, and Remus confessed that sometimes after certain nightmares he simply couldn’t. But watching as Remus’s eyes drooped heavily, Janus figured it wouldn’t take much to get Remus back to sleep. Just a warm drink and a promise not to leave should suffice. 

Remus took the bottle and closed his eyes, drinking carefully from it. Janus ran his fingers through Remus’s hair and helped detangle some of the locks, deciding he would have to brush it in the morning. They stayed like that until Remus had finished the bottle, barely coherent enough to pull it away from his mouth. When Janus took hold of it, Remus whined for a moment, before his pacifier replaced it. Janus laughed, always amazed with how stubborn his boy was, even when so close to falling asleep. Janus gently patted his hip. 

“Come on love, let’s lay back down. Get under the covers.” Janus had to lightly shake the boy to prevent him from falling asleep in his lap. (It wouldn’t be the first time, and while Janus wouldn’t have minded, he was determined to get at least a few hours of sleep, considering he was probably going to have a regressed Remus at his side all day.) Remus huffed about it, but eventually crawled his way off of Janus’s lap and back into his bed. Janus made sure to flip his pillow over to the clean side, making a mental note to wash it tomorrow, and then gently tucked Remus’s blanket around him. He bent down and gave the other a kiss on the forehead. 

“To protect you from nightmares.” He whispered. Remus hummed, but suddenly his eyes opened. 

“Gonna leave?” He asked, his face growing a bit sad. Janus frowned at the sight. 

“Would you like me to stay?” He offered, and watched as Remus nodded carefully, as if hesitant to answer honestly. The smile returned to Janus, and Remus relaxed once more when he saw the other nod his head. 

“Alright love, just for tonight.” He said, chuckling just a bit to himself at the sugary taste of the lie. He moved to the other side of the bed and climbed in. He scooted close to Remus, but didn’t want to crowd him, considering he knew the other had a tendency to simply forgo sleep for cuddles if he thought he could get away with it. Instead, he ran his fingers through Remus’s hair once more, letting the little know that he was there and he would stay as long as he was needed. 

“Story?” Remus asked around his pacifier, not even opening his eyes when he spoke. Janus nodded despite knowing it wouldn’t be seen, before he began telling Remus the story of Robin Hood, one of the little’s favorites. 

After Janus had finished the story, though he was sure that Remus was asleep, if his light snores were any indicator, he decided to stay just a bit longer. He normally would have returned to his own bed, but staying next to someone sounded awfully comforting all of a sudden. He sighed deeply, giving Remus one last look over and a gentle pat to his arm, before he laid down and closed his eyes, letting Remus’s steady breathing slowly lull him into his own sleep.


	6. FamILY Intervention (Janus)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janus was good at many things. They were good at giving advice to the others, they were good at taking care of their friends when they needed, and they were good at constantly sharing lessons with the fellow sides, subtle and not so subtle reminders that they didn’t have to do things alone, they could always ask for help, and they were never going to be too much of a burden. 
> 
> Janus, however, was not good at internalizing these lessons for themselves. 
> 
> +++
> 
> Warnings: One swear word, crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It isn't stated explicitly, but Janus's pronouns for this day in the story are they/them <3
> 
> And it's done... ;-; I really had a lot of fun writing this story, and I might have to do another one in the future with a different character! It was just so sweet to write these small snippets <3
> 
> I don't think this is a very strong ending, but I literally wasn't sure how else to end it! I hope that people still enjoy it though!

Janus was good at many things. They were good at lying, a given. They were good at giving advice to the others, whether they wanted it or not. They were the self declared Monarch of Self Care. They were good at taking care of their friends when they needed, and they were good at constantly sharing lessons with the fellow sides, subtle and not so subtle reminders that they didn’t have to do things alone, they could always ask for help, and they were never going to be too much of a burden. 

Janus, however, was not good at internalizing these lessons for themselves. 

Sure, it was not sweat off their back when others needed a push towards self care or a guide towards seeking help, but Janus was not good at doing this for themselves. They tended to find themselves unable to ask for what they wanted, or would go weeks without taking breaks, just because they felt they had to be held to a hire standard. Sure, Thomas wasn’t allowed to put his friends first when it was actively hurting him to do so, but Janus? They were becoming an expert at it.

Which is why Janus’s own regression bracelet, which sat idle next to their gender ones, always just a bit mockingly when Janus wanted to put it on but felt the others needed them to be Big. And Janus always felt that they needed him to be Big. After all, Janus was good at many things. The others needed them to proofread Logan’s work to tie or Roman’s shoes. Remus needed an ear to listen to his rambles and Patton needed a hand to hold him steady down the stairs. Virgil needed someone to hand him a coffee after late nights and whatever Janus needed could always wait for the next day. They were needed, they were good at being needed. They had perfected the art of self sacrifice, and Janus was more than content to fill that role for everyone in the Mindscape. 

Of course, no one else seemed to understand that. 

“I’m fine, Patton.” Janus reassured when the other had caught them trying to pour milk into their tea, only for it to spill quite a bit.

“Are you sure? If you’re feeling little, we can help you!” Patton explained, and Janus just shook their head, replacing the milk in the fridge. 

“You’ve gone quite a while without regressing,” Logan said, suddenly appearing behind the deceptive side, making them jump just a bit. Logan immediately looked apologetic. 

“It’s just a bit of spilled milk, we really don’t need to be blowing this out of proportion.” Janus explained. They really weren’t feeling little, despite the other’s worries. It had just been a long week, and there was still plenty to do. Even if everyone in the house was currently Big, it didn’t mean Janus still didn’t have things they had to get done. They walked away with their tea, ignoring the concerned looks shared between Logan and Patton. 

They weren’t the only ones who seemed to have been watching over Janus like a hawk. 

“Need some help carrying those, Scales?” Roman asked, watching with a bit of amusement as Janus carried boxes of White Lies they needed to reorganize so Thomas could keep his facts straight. Janus huffed a bit, ignoring Roman’s little nickname for them.

“I’ve got it.” They said determinedly, causing Virgil to snicker on the other side of them. 

“Is someone feeling like a stubborn baby?” He teased, and Janus just rolled their eyes. What was up with everyone trying to get them to regress? They had things they had to do that came they could take time for themselves. Even if those things never really did seem to come to an end. They shot the two a glare that made them back off, but this time, Janus couldn’t ignore the glances shared between the two that made them feel yucky for disappointing them…

No. They needed to be big!

Of course, it was Remus that almost managed to get Janus. The way he would lightly hold Janus’s hand under the dinner table as they ate, only to then insist they have Janus’s favorite for desert. It made Janus feel fuzzy and well taken care of, if for only a brief moment. At first Janus had just assumed that Remus was just being extra sweet after the nightmare he had had a few days ago, but when he started walking back into the dining room with little Janus’s sippy cup, the fuzzy feelings turned sour, and Janus was suddenly very unhappy. 

“Why are you all so insistent that I be small?” Janus asked suddenly, their tone firm but eyes unsure. Everyone shared looks that Janus wasn’t able to read, and they hated not knowing what was going on, it only did manage to push them further into the regression they just wanted to avoid. 

“You’ve been working very hard,” Roman started. “And have been helping us with all of our own issues.”

“That we were worried that you weren’t taking the time to focus on your own.” Virgil finished. 

“You’ve not regressed in a while, but all of us have. And you’ve been the one to take care of us.” Logan explained. 

“And we just wanted to show you that we’re here for you too.” Patton said with a small smile. 

“Because we love you, Snakey. And if YOU aren’t going to take care of yourself, then we sure as hell will do it for you!” Remus added with a wide grin. 

Janus looked around at everyone starting at them, all of them waiting with bated breath to see what they would do. Janus could feel their instincts kicking in, the fight to self preserve. They couldn’t regress, there was still so much they had to do. So many people who needed them to be Big. They shook their head no. 

“That’s very sweet of you all, but I have obligations to take care of. I don’t have time or the desire to regress right now.” No one seemed to miss the hesitation in Janus’s voice that practically screamed at them to contradict their words. Because Janus was good at lying, but the others were good at things too. 

They were good at knowing when their friend needed them. 

As Janus stood up from the dining table, determined to head back towards their room and finish the work they had started, and hopefully push from their mind all of the thoughts that were begging them to slip down and let themselves be taken care of, everyone seemed to stand as well, Virgil wearing a smirk that promised a different outcome than what Janus was planning. “Alright, you asked for this.” Virgil said in a teasing tone. 

Before Janus even had a moment to begin to process whatever that threat meant, they could suddenly feel the tug in their gut that indicated a Thomas summons. Janus eyed everyone with clear suspicion, and they all seemed to avoid his gaze, playfully ignoring the way Janus’s eyes narrowed as they rose up into the real world. 

Thomas was sitting on his couch, watching where Janus normally rose up during their conversations. Upon seeing his side of deception, Thomas smiled. 

“Hi buddy, care to chat?” He asked. Janus couldn’t help the pout that they suddenly felt. 

“Why are you all doing this?” They asked, their guard coming down just a bit as they made their way over to Thomas. 

“Because we care about you.” Thomas said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “And you do everything in your power to help others, but when was the last time you let anyone else help you?” He asked. Janus settled on the couch next to their host, sighing just a bit as they did so. They played with the bracelet on their wrist, trying to avoid Thomas’s comforting gaze. 

“I just...I have to be big. What if someone needs me?” Janus asked, feeling the fuzziness return, and they were running out of ammo to fight it off. Thomas wrapped an arm around Janus’s shoulder, and was grateful when it wasn’t shrugged off or pushed away. 

“They do need you. I need you. But you can’t always be the one to fix things. Right now, we need you to take care of yourself and to let us take care of you.” Thomas gave Janus a soft smile. “Can you let us do that?” 

Janus felt tears prick their eyes as they gave a small nod, slipping down. Out of the corner of their eyes Janus watched as everyone began to rise up into the real world, all of them smiling. 

“There’s our favorite little Snakey.” Remus said, walking over with Janus’s yellow pacifier and coaxing it into the little’s mouth. Janus sighed around it, leaning against Thomas a bit. 

“I cannot believe you made us bring Thomas into this.” Virgil teased, walking over and tucking a blanket around the two on the couch, making sure Janus was snug before ruffling their hair. Janus giggled a bit at the antics. 

“I’m just glad you’re gonna let us take care of you, baby. You deserve it.” Patton praised walking over, hiding something behind his back. When he was standing in front of Janus, he pulled out the little’s favorite stuffie, a green snake with beady yellow eyes. Janus gasped and reached for it, Patton laughing as they cuddled it close. 

“After everything you’ve done for us, you deserve the royal treatment.” Roman explained, summoning Janus’s sippy cup and handing it to the little, who looked just a bit distressed at having a pacifier and a sippy cup. Upon realizing this, Roman quickly summoned a pacifier clip as well, hooking it to their shirt so that they wouldn’t lose it. 

“And as a reminder, you never have to feel bad about needing or asking for help. Though, I am having trouble recalling who taught us that.” Logan said, letting out a playful lie that Janus immediately picked up on. The little blushed but smiled, hiding their face in Thomas’s arm as Logan flipped on the television and put a cartoon on appropriate for Janus. 

As everyone made themselves comfortable on the couch and settled to watch the tv, Janus took a second to look around. Janus was good at a lot of things. Janus was good at taking care of others, good at giving them advice, and good at reminding the others to ask for help when they needed it. Janus was not good at doing these things for themself. 

But with friends as good as the ones Janus had, perhaps they could begin to get a bit better at it.


End file.
